In my blog, I might not know you, or maybe you just landed on this site accidentally when you clicked 'Next Blog' in the Blogger nav bar above. Nonetheless, for just a while, my words are heard out, and regardless of whether you're interested or not, I would like to thank you for some of your time spent on my blog.
Anyone cares to know how this blog initially looks like?
Back then, I don't even have a photo for my profile! Muahahaha!
I've added many features, including banner links, image map, and the two photo galleries not long ago. All these are nothing new or special actually, as most blogs and websites has these features as well. I like to browse through the extras when I'm surfing other blogs, so I guess it would be fun and interesting to insert some into my own blog as well.
Recently, I started adding advertisements to my blog as well, which was more of en experiment actually, to see just how profitable my blog can be to me. I always fancy the idea earning money without having to pay anything at all to blog. This is only applicable to those who are not hosting their blogs on commercial server of course. But for me, my Blogger account is free, the Flickr and Photobucket account are also free, so all I'm paying is the time and effort in blogging, that's all.
Here I would like to share with you some of my own guides in blogging. Purely personal, they are items I would apply to in my own blog. Might not be applicable for you, particularly if you've your own preference and style in blogging:
1. Minimum one image per posting - normally, each posting of mine is 'flavored' with at least two or three images. The number will increase drastically when I'm posting about upcoming Gundam Merchandises :-D I do agree that the pictures help to make your posting more meaningful, as the readers can visualize your idea with more ease.
But at the same time, watch out for copyrighted materials. Don't go copy-and-paste conveniently from others. If you like the images very much, be sure to acknowledge the source, and provide a link to the site.
2. Strictly no flaming - on the Internet, flaming means deliberately posting insults or hostile messages to another person or website. For me, that's a coward's behavior, using the convenience and anonymity of the Internet to hurt someone else. So, NO bad words about other can be or will be found in my blog, ever.
But I do enjoy reading blogs which sarcastically criticize government authorities for any of their misconduct and bad policy, like Kenny Sia's Blog, and Mr. Brown. I think as leaders of the people, and policy makers, authorities must allow the exception of accepting feedback, no matter how harsh they are from the public. So, bloggers can assume the roles as government watchdogs to evaluate the government's actions in various issues, not channel for feedback means no way for improvement as well. Like the recent case of plagiarism of love poem by one of our ministers, well, much thanks to the bloggers on the net for pointing it out, and force the ministry to make an open apology.
Power of the bloggers!
!!!
3. Your blog is not always about you - You may be the owner of your own blog, but you're still in front of the PC when you blog, not on top of the world. So, egomaniac style of blogging is a no-no for me. There are zillions of professional Gunpla modelers out there, and most of them have great websites as well. So I would just share my experience and thoughts in this hobby of mine, but would never say that so-and-so technique I developed is the only way to go. I'm sure there are many hidden dragons and crouching tigers in Gunpla here in my hometown of Kuching, and they might be experienced in Gunpla than me.
So to claim that I'm good in Gunpla here in Kuching just because I'm seemingly the loudest in blogging about them is the fastest way to become infamous in the Gunpla community, and I would do all my best to avoid that.
Introducing: Egomaniac Web Video Uploading Site: the more trash you upload, like shaving with 'the whole is watching' in mind, we'll send you hate mail examples from all over the world for you to despair, absolutely free.
4. Get involved in others' blog as well! - Share the fun of blogging, post relevant comments/feedback or questions on others' blog, and you'll be noticed easily. If you really like their blog, make sure to put a link to them in your blog. It's also the best way to widen the circle of blogs of the same interest.
Just remember not to talk crap in their blog and waste their server's space. Haha~
5. Learn form the master - Not just in the interest you're addicted to, but how to blog effectively, to get ideas on page design, and to discover new external links of interesting resources they found. Blogging from behind shut doors and windows will probably make each posting you add to become obsolete and outdated the moment they are posted!
My sifu (meaning teacher in Cantonese) in blogging is Danny Choo the Stormtrooper/Darth Vader in Japan. Just check out his site.
6. Update! Update! - Now here's the dilemma for students, and workaholic, how to blog when there are so much work piling up? how to blog nicely when the only thing that comes to one's mind is the never-ending trend of assignment Personally, I would try to blog at least two times a week, that's average one posting every three to four days weekly, which is considered quite slow.
Anyway, there must be a balance between study or work and blogging. I would be a great shame if the quality of your work drops because of your penchant for blogging. You'll probably go into Ripley's Believe It or Not as the first blog-addict!
7. Enjoy! - Continue from above, some of my friends complained that they have no time to blog, and seeing cobwebs in their blog just make them more frustrated; some complained that they don't blog much because they don't have anything to blog at all. Well, for me, one shouldn't be burdened anyhow whatsoever to blog. Since it's your interest which prompt you to blog in the first place, then why kill the interest just for the sake of updating your blog. No one's threatening you to update right?
The key is to enjoy blogging I guess. When you're in the mood to blog, a few minutes is enough for some nice postings. I can't imagine a person must blog like trying to complete a thesis or something. I'm sure your readers won't like it either.
Make sure you don't bang onto your monitor screen! ^_^;;
Images are from 3gold.com Entertainment portal.
These are just personal opinions of course, feel free to comment on them (but say nice-nice woh~ ^_^)
